PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight kickboxing rules bout between Leonardo Atunes (ranked 1707 p4p, 212 weight class) and Fleece Johnson (ranked 16507 p4p, 539 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Atunes
vs
Johnson

180 cm
37
180 lbs
30 - 13 - 4

200 cm
37
185 lbs
32 - 15 - 0

World class boxer
Insanely flexible

World class MT
Granite chin

Condemned

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 30 - 13 - 4, fighting out of New York, Leonardo Atunes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 32 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Fleece Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Kenichi Hosakawa and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Atunes avoids the body shot from Johnson.
Good standup being displayed there by Johnson as he connects with a hook.
A looping hook to the body misses from Atunes. Johnson does a little dance to reset his feet.
Atunes pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Atunes backing away here, and Johnson unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
A clash of legs there as Atunes blocks the low kick.
Johnson scores with a shot to the body.
Johnson punishes Atunes's body with a nice straight punch.
Johnson tries to score with a low kick but Atunes moves his leg out of the way.
Johnson with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Atunes throws a body kick that misses.
Johnson sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Johnson takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Atunes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Johnson cracks Atunes with a right hand to the side of the head.
Johnson ducks under a wild hook from Atunes.
Atunes lands with an uppercut that bounces Johnson off the ropes and back into range.
Atunes just misses with a punch to the body.
Atunes lands a nice hook to Johnson's body. Johnson takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson misses the shot to the body.
Johnson connects with a right hand. Atunes shakes it off.
Atunes misses with a double jab.
Johnson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Atunes scores with the left hand. Johnson knows he should have avoided that one.
Atunes swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Johnson throws a fast counter high kick but Atunes manages to duck under it in time.
Atunes throws a leg kick but Johnson sees it coming and moves out of range.
Johnson avoids the head kick by Atunes.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Johnson! But no joy.
Atunes takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Atunes looks to land a left hand but Johnson moved out of range nicely.
A swing and a miss from Atunes.
Johnson is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Atunes throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Despite the aggression on Johnson's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Johnson throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Johnson gets a clinch.
A hook to the body from Atunes.
Johnson told us before the fight that he's been working on his elbows. An under utilised technique these days - let's see if it can sway the outcome of the fight.
A nice left hand lands by Johnson.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Atunes blocks an uppercut.
A shot in the inside from Johnson.
Atunes scores with a hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson prevents a body shot from Atunes.
A right hand to the body from Atunes.
A short uppercut from Johnson.
A short right from Johnson on the inside.
Atunes misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Atunes tries to throw a body punch but Johnson avoids it by throwing Atunes back against the ropes.
Atunes swings wildly with an uppercut but Johnson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Atunes tries to throw a body punch but Johnson avoids it by throwing Atunes back against the ropes.
Atunes is pushing Johnson up against the ropes, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Atunes trying to control the position but instead, Johnson has worked for underhooks and has pushed Atunes into the ropes.
Atunes lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Johnson backwards.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johnson takes a shot to the head.
Johnson lands an elbow that stopped Atunes in his tracks for a moment.
Johnson doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Atunes tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Johnson's elbow.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Leonardo Atunes will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Johnson uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Atunes.
Atunes misses with a double jab.
Johnson looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Atunes uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Johnson.
A head kick misses from Atunes.
Johnson only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Atunes bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A counter left hand to the body from Atunes misses its target.
That kick from Atunes tenderised Johnson's leg. Johnson is trying to keep his angry face on.

Johnson closes the distance and clinches.
Johnson misses with a short punch on the inside.
Atunes is looking to control Johnson's arms but Johnson gets an underhook and turns him. Now Atunes has his back to the ropes.
Johnson blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Atunes lands a nice uppercut.
Atunes doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnson misses with a hook to the ribs.
Johnson lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Atunes tries a body shot but Johnson blocks it.
Atunes misses with a punch to the body.
Atunes throws a punch but it's blocked by Johnson.
Johnson tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Johnson throws a punch but it's blocked by Atunes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson misses with a punch on the inside.
Atunes is trying to maintain a safe position but Johnson gets an underhook and turns Atunes into the ropes.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Atunes.
Atunes tries to work over Johnson's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Atunes swings wildly with an uppercut but Johnson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Johnson lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Atunes backwards.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Atunes working aggressively here.
A shot in the inside from Atunes.
Johnson blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Johnson scores with a knee to the head.
Atunes pushes Johnson back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Johnson with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Johnson throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Atuness head.
Johnson trying to land knees to the body.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Johnson creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Atunes misses with a punch to the body.
Johnson softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Atunes lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Johnson backwards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Atunes blocking some punches.
Atunes blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A short right from Atunes on the inside.
Atunes misses with a punch to the body.
Atunes tries a body shot but Johnson blocks it.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Johnson landing knees to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Johnson just misses with a elbow thrown towards Atunes's brow.
Fleece Johnson seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Atunes tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Atunes blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Johnson blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Johnson lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Johnson cracks Atunes with a nice body shot.
Johnson has a couple of punches blocked by Atunes.
Atunes is trying to stall.
Johnson fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Atunes.
A right hand to the body from Atunes.
Atunes throws a head punch that misses.
Atunes wants to stall.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Fleece Johnson will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Atunes takes a swing at Johnson's ribcage but misses.
It seemed like Johnson was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Atunes misses with a body shot.
Johnson lands a lovely overhand right.
A leg kick checked by Atunes.
Johnson misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Atunes.
Atunes throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Johnson sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Johnson tries to counter with a clinch but Atunes shakes him off and moves away.
Johnson avoids a kick to the body.
Johnson lands a lovely overhand right.
Johnson moves away from the strike by Atunes.
Atunes throws a leg kick but Johnson moved away.
Johnson is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Atunes.
Atunes closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Atunes throws a body shot but no joy.
Johnson throws a sloppy head kick and Atunes moves out of range easily.
Good leg kick by Johnson there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Atunes misses with a straight right.
Johnson takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
A slow jab from Atunes misses its intended target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Johnson's jab looks to have found its range, popping Atunes under the eye.
Atunes lands a right hook to the body.
Atunes connects with a body shot.
Johnson fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Atunes checks it well.
An attempted straight right counter from Atunes misses the target.
Johnson blocks a low kick nicely.
Johnson tries a quick counter leg kick but Atunes is wise to it.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Atunes lands with an uppercut that bounces Johnson off the ropes and back into range.
Atunes comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Atunes.
Atunes throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Atunes throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Johnson counters with a series of strikes. Atunes will be more careful next time no doubt.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Atunes ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Johnson moves away.
A big right from Atunes misses.
Johnson appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Atunes avoids the head kick by Johnson.
Johnson steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Atunes.
Johnson attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Atunes avoids the body shot from Johnson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Atunes lets loose with a powerful body kick. Johnson will feel that in the morning.

Johnson has Atunes up against the ropes in a clinch.
Johnson throws a head punch that misses.
Atunes on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Johnson swings wildly with an uppercut but Atunes uses good head movement to avoid it.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Atunes.
Atunes makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Atunes tries to stall but Johnson uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Atunes looking to stall.
Atunes is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Atunes can't seem to implement his control oriented gameplan at the moment. That's no bad thing of course, for those of us who want to see a good fight.
Atunes slowing the pace effectively.
Johnson misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Johnson tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Atunes is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Leonardo Atunes.
Johnson looks to throw the jab but Atunes is out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Leonardo Atunes.
I think Atunes has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 29:28
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:29
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Leonardo Atunes!
Leonardo Atunes spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.